Rilek1Corner

Tag: mosques

  • Muslims To Contribute More To Mosque Building And Mendaki Fund From June

    Muslims To Contribute More To Mosque Building And Mendaki Fund From June

    Starting Jun 1, monthly contributions by Muslims to the Mosque Building and Mendaki Fund (MBMF) will be raised by between S$1 and S$10.

    The increase, announced by Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore’s (MUIS) Workplan Seminar on Saturday (Mar 12), is the first revision to contributions since 2009.

    Four additional tiers have been added for those earning between S$4,000 and S$10,000.

    Muslims earning below S$1,000 as well as those earning between S$1,000 and S$2,000 will pay S$1 more, bringing their monthly contribution to S$3 and S$4.50, respectively. The contributions progressively increase based on eight income bands, up to a maximum of S$26 for those earning above S$10,000, an increase of S$10 from the current monthly contribution.

    “The revision will allow us to raise an addition of at least S$6 million every year and this will go a long way to improve the socio-religious life of our community,” Dr Yaacob said.

    The MBMF has enabled the upgrading of 17 mosques adding 4,700 prayer spaces, as well as contributed to the building of new mosques such as the Al-Islah Mosque in Punggol, he said. The fund has also helped to enhance madrasah education and support parents with school-going children.

    MUIS said higher contributions will help ensure the timely completion of future mosque development and upgrading projects. The increase will also boost funding for Mendaki, which has dipped into its reserves since 2013 to expand its educational programmes and meet rising costs, it said.

     

    Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

     

  • CNY Greetings At Mosques – Usual Practice Or New Initiative To Appease Political Masters?

    CNY Greetings At Mosques – Usual Practice Or New Initiative To Appease Political Masters?

    There are a couple of pictures of masajid in Singapura with red banners with the wishes “Happy Chinese New Year”.

    There seems to be quite a lot of Muslims who are upset with these banners.

    As a matter of principle, I do not have a problem with the banners or wishes.

    As to its permissibility in Islam, I leave that to the scholars to decide.

    If we believe that there is khilaf in this issue, then we have to respect the decision of those who believe it is haram and those who believe it is not.

    However, I have several questions for the two masajid involved:

    1. Did they similarly put up banners last year?

    If they did, then it is fine.

    2. If they did not put up banners last year, why put them up this year?

    Are these banners in response to K Shanmugam Sc‘s comments?

    It will be terribly disappointing if these banners were put up to appease a politician.

    If they were only put up this year because of a politician’s comments, then where is the dignity and firmness of the Muslims?

    Do we make decisions and fatawa to please others?

    I hope the committee members of these two masajid can assure us that the banners were similarly exhibited last year.

    And not only this year, to appease a politician who criticised Muslims.

     

    Source: Almakhazin SG

  • Walid J. Abdullah: Muslims Must Repond To Provocations In A Way That Helps The Ummah

    Walid J. Abdullah: Muslims Must Repond To Provocations In A Way That Helps The Ummah

    Muslims must really learn not to let ourselves get provoked so easily; sometimes there is no need to glorify provocations with even a response. And when a response is needed, it must be done in a way that helps the ummah; not in a way that hurts it, and definitely not a response that is designed just to vent one’s frustrations. No doubt, we must feel angry about certain, or rather, many, things, but being angry does not mean we do not react intelligently.

    Additionally, we must be fair in dealing with others. I really do not buy the idea that we must respect every single belief that differs from ours: there are many beliefs that we argue to be false, so it is ridiculous to say that we must ‘respect’ those beliefs.

    Rather, a more appropriate call would be for us to respect the right of others to believe in whatever they wish to believe, even if we think their beliefs are ludicrous. Remember, many of our own beliefs are regarded as absurd by others, and we should not demand they respect our beliefs (if they did, they would be Muslim already); but we must demand they respect our right to believe in whatever we do.
    By the same token, we must respect the right of others to disagree with us.

    (How that disagreement should manifest itself, is clearly dependent on the social, political and cultural context of a nation/society.)

    We must also remember one thing: if we do not display maturity in responding to differences and/or provocations, we are essentially giving the state fodder to justify its interventionist and muscular policies.

    ‘See, we told you religion can be a divisive force, that is why we must constantly keep a lid on it.’

    If we persist in doing that, then we should not really complain when we witness the strong arm of the state everywhere.

     

    Source: Walid J. Abdullah

  • Masjid Dan Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin Pungut Dana Bantu Mangsa Gempa Bumi Nepal

    Masjid Dan Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin Pungut Dana Bantu Mangsa Gempa Bumi Nepal

    Semua masjid di sini, dengan kerjasama Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin (RLAF), akan menganjurkan satu usaha pungutan dana khas bagi membantu mangsa gempa bumi di Nepal.

    Orang ramai boleh memberi sumbangan menerusi wang tunai, cek atau secara dalam talian mulai hari ini.

    “… masyarakat Islam Singapura berdoa agar mangsa dan masyarakat di kawasan terjejas Nepal akan diberi kekuatan dan daya ketahanan untuk berhadapan dengan keadaan tragik dan mencabar ini,” kata RLAF dalam kenyataannya semalam.

    Cek harus dibuat atas nama ‘RLAF’ dengan kata-kata ‘Koleksi Khas bagi Mangsa Gempa Bumi di Nepal’ ditulis di belakangnya.

    Sumbangan dalam bentuk wang tunai dan cek harus dihantar ke Bangunan Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) di Hab Islam Singapura di 273, Braddell Road, Singapore 579702.

    Sumbangan menerusi dalam talian boleh dibuat dengan melungsuri laman http://www.muis.gov.sg/Services/e-services.html.

    Di samping itu, kotak derma RLAF, yang ditandakan dengan kata-kata “Koleksi Khas bagi Nepal”, akan diletakkan di semua 68 masjid bermula Jumaat ini hingga Khamis depan.

    Sumbangan itu akan disalurkan kepada Mercy Relief, yang menghantar sebuah pasukan bagi memberi bantuan kepada mangsa di Nepal.

    Badan-badan lain turut mengadakan pungutan derma bagi membantu mangsa gempa bumi di Nepal.

    Ini termasuk Palang Merah Singapura (SRC) dan Badan Agama dan Pelajaran Radin Mas (Bapa).

    Angka korban akibat gempa bumi berukuran 7.8 skala Richter yang melanda Nepal pada hari Sabtu itu telah meningkat kepada 3,726 orang, kata seorang jurucakap polis Nepal.

    Pasukan penyelamat di Nepal masih meneruskan usaha mencari mangsa terselamat dalam kejadian dengan menggali sisa runtuhan di ibu kota Kathmandu.

    Tragedi itu juga menyebabkan mereka yang terselamat terpaksa bermalam di jalanan dan membuat khemah di kawasan terbuka.

    Situasi di hospital menjadi sesak sehingga pasukan perubatan terpaksa membina khemah di luar bangunan bagi merawat pesakit.

    Angkatan Bersenjata Singapura (SAF) telah mengerahkan tiga pesawat C-130 Angkatan Udara Republik Singapura (RSAF) bagi menghantar kumpulan pegawainya dan pegawai Pasukan Pertahanan Awam Singapura (SCDF) serta Pasukan Polis Singapura (SPF) melaksanakan usaha bantuan di Nepal.

    Bagaimanapun, Menteri Pertahanan, Dr Ng Eng Hen, menulis di Facebook semalam, berkata tiga pesawat tersebut tidak dapat mendarat di Kathmandu kerana kesesakan di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kathmandu Tribhuvan.

    Dua pesawat itu telah mendarat di Calcutta, India, dan satu lagi di Patna, India.

     

    Source: http://beritaharian.sg

  • Yaacob Ibrahim: Madrasah Harus Melahirkan Asatizah Serba Boleh

    Yaacob Ibrahim: Madrasah Harus Melahirkan Asatizah Serba Boleh

    MENTERI Bertanggungjawab bagi Ehwal Masyarakat Islam, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, menggesa madrasah di sini agar terus memanfaatkan peluang yang disediakan Sistem Madrasah Bersama (JMS) bagi menghasilkan golongan asatizah yang boleh dibanggakan.

    Ini kerana masyarakat setempat memerlukan golongan asatizah yang bukan hanya pakar dari segi agama untuk membantu masyarakat secara menyeluruh.

    Dr Yaacob berkata ini penting lebih-lebih lagi dalam masyarakat Singapura yang berbilang bangsa.

    Beliau berkata demikian sebagai mengulas prestasi cemerlang murid madrasah dalam Peperiksaan Tamat Sekolah Rendah (PSLE) tahun ini ketika ditemui di majlis pengagihan Dana Amanah Pendidikan (ETF) Mendaki di Kelab Masyarakat Woodlands semalam.

    “Keputusan PSLE bagi pihak madrasah memberangsangkan dan menunjukkan bahawa program yang dijalankan JMS berjaya memberi hasil yang kita inginkan.

    “Dengan kerjasama Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis), madrasah dan ibu bapa, ia menunjukkan bahawa apa yang dilakukan untuk menolong anak-anak kita adalah usaha yang akan membawa kebaikan kepada masyarakat kita,” kata Dr Yaacob.

    Dalam pada itu, di majlis tersebut, seramai 80 murid menerima baucar ETF-Skim Bantuan Sekolah (SAS) dan dermasiswa Aziz Merchant bernilai $22,000.

    Antara mereka ialah tiga adik-beradik – Zulaikha Zahar, 7 tahun; Nur Zahirah Zahar, 8 tahun; dan Muhamad Izzat Zahar, 9 tahun – daripada Sekolah Rendah Fernvale.

    Menurut ibu mereka, Cik Intan Ridha Handayani, anaknya telah menyertai program Mendaki seperti Maju Minda Matematika (Tiga M) dan Cahaya M sejak lima tahun lalu.

    “Kalau nak ajar mereka, saya tak faham, sebab itulah saya hantar mereka ke program Mendaki. Saya dapat lihat mereka rajin buat kerja sekolah di rumah tanpa disuruh dan guru mereka pun beri maklum balas baik megenai prestasi mereka di sekolah,” kata suri rumah berusia 31 tahun itu yang tinggal bersama suami dan anak-anak di flat dua bilik di Sengkang.

    Sehingga Ogos lalu, jumlah ETF yang diagihkan lebih $1.8 juta – lebih rendah berbanding $2.9 juta yang diagihkan tahun lalu.

    Namun menurut Dr Yaacob, apa yang lebih penting ialah golongan yang memerlukan bantuan tetap dibantu. Beliau turut menggesa mereka yang memerlukan tetapi belum tampil mendapatkan bantuan agar berbuat demikian.

     

    Source: http://beritaharian.sg